Settling In

Thursday, October 11, 2001
One month anniversary of Tower/Pentagon attack. 
Brian had a tough night fighting pneumonia that has spread to the left lung also (was just in  right). Put back on assisted breathing so he doesn't have to fight so hard. His pulse has gone back down so he is able to relax a bit. Cardiologist report was that he is improving slowly as he fights the pneumonia. He (cardiologist) wants to continue having the students visit calmly as they have been doing.
Jesse and Jamie finally arrived at about 12:30. Martha immediately calms. Jesse is visibly shaken after seeing Brian.
A lot of "down" time for Brian during the day to rest.
Family conference 4:00 PM - Social worker moderated, unit manager and nurses there too. Laying down the law - time to comply with rules. No more food, no more unsupervised minors, only family and two closest students to visit. Social worker found room for the family at the Cheney House a block away. Checked in. Dinner at Thai restaurant.
Brian may have had seizure - some say yes, one nurse says may just be posturing-type movements because he did similar things later. Sleeping peacefully at 10:00 PM.

October 11, 2012
The double pneumonia came on hard. It caused us all to be more cautious and regulated. I don't recall that we ever totally complied with all rules. Dave and I, my sister, Brian's friends, were all insistent that we be allowed to visit in as normal a manner as possible, with conversation and music. When he was moved out of Cardiac care into the ICU next door (all connected, really), it was about this time and at some point we began decorating his room. The kids did, really. They also played his music for him. This may have been later, though.
Despite that comments about "sleeping", Brian was in an unresponsive coma. The posturing is a phenomenon that occurs during the coma and looks like a seizure. It's pretty scary to watch. 
There was a conflict occurring between different factions of the family and this was partly why we had the conference. The hospital was also justifiably concerned about the other patients and we respected that, of course. We tried very hard to never be disrespectful of other patients or the hard work the staff were doing. 
When Jesse and Jamie arrived, I was hugely relieved. I needed Jesse there more than I realized. He was very upset, though. This was his little brother. Later he took a break from a class or two (he was a student at the University of Washington) because he needed to back off a bit. 
The Cheney House was amazing. It was a place for families to stay while their loved ones were in the hospital receiving care of any sort for an extended time. We were there for six weeks, 'way past the limit (which I think was a month). Dave and I stayed there, in a room with twin beds and a shower equipped for wheelchair access. Everyone had a locked bin for dry goods in the kitchen and a space in the fridge. There was a common room and the folks who worked there were gentle and kind. It was such a relief to have a place close, with people who knew exactly what we were going through. 
That dinner at the Thai place down the road was our first meal since Brian had gone down.
Dave and I began our ritual at that time: nights for him, days for me. A round-the-clock vigil with Brian. The Coma Watch.